News from Ireland - news from around the 32 counties

The shopowner, Michael Lynch, was alone in the shop at the time but refused to give him anything.
During an ensuing scuffle, Mr Lynch overpowered his attacker and took the knife and removed the balaclava.

The would-be raider, however, escaped on foot.

Gardaí say that one of their suspects for the attempted armed robbery has is not the same one who terrorised five shopowners around the county in March - however, they are also reluctant to rule out the serial offender.

Mr Lynch's courage only saw him sustain "just cuts and bruises" while his attacker came off worse and is also thought to have cut his hand.

The would-be raider later burned his jacket nearby in an effort to conceal his identity.
(Source: The Meath Chronicle)

Fired Irish Nationwide branch manager Brendan Beggan could not contain his anger towards his former boss at the Employment Appeals Tribunal (EAT).

In heated scenes following the hearing, Mr Beggan, a former Monaghan inter-county GAA star, confronted Michael Fingleton, the disgraced former chief executive of the now nationalized lender.
Mr Fingleton had tried to leave the building on Dublin's Adelaide Road towards the staff exit at the side.

Confronted with members of the press, and a myriad of cameras pointed in his direction, he turned away from the side exit and waited in a consultation room for around 15 minutes, along with the building society's legal team. He then put on his trademark black hat and bit the bullet, proceeding out the door to the waiting media, but refusing to answer questions.

As he did, he was followed and confronted by an irate Mr Beggan who waved a document at him and made a number of accusations.
(Source: Irish Independent)

Offaly

The society of St Vincent de Paul (SVP) got a major fuel boost this Christmas as Bord na Móna handed over 20,000 bales of briquettes last week.

The ten truckloads of briquettes were presented to the Society by John Keogh, Bord na Móna at the company’s plant in Derrinlough and will give a massive boost to hard pressed families this Christmas.

John Mark McCaffery, SVP’s Head of Social Justice, and Enda Breslin, SVP Area President for Mullingar, were on hand to receive the delivery.

Mr Keogh, Head of Fuels, Bord na Móna said the company was delighted to be handling over 20,000 bales of briquettes to Saint Vincent de Paul. “If stack up this would be ten times the height of Carrauntoohill. This happened because we are hugely aware of the issue of fuel poverty and the sad fact that people are finding it more and more difficult to heat their homes.

“Having a fire in the hearth is vital for many people and that basic need becomes all the more acute at this time of year.”

Mr McCaffery said this is a very large donation and the Society is hugely appreciative of it. “The bottom line is that Bord na Móna’s generosity will make a great difference to a huge number of people this winter.”
(Source: Offaly Express)

Roscommon

Gardaí are investigating the death of a man who fell from the roof of his Co Roscommon home while putting up Christmas lights. The incident happened outside Scramogue village, a few miles from Strokestown.

The man, named locally as Chris Courtney, was putting up the lights on Tuesday afternoon when he fell.

The 65-year-old was taken by ambulance to the Midlands Regional Hospital in Mullingar and was later transferred to Beaumont Hospital in Dublin. He was pronounced dead on Tuesday night.

Mr Courtney was a native of Co Longford but had been living in Scramogue for several years. The mayor of Roscommon, Cllr Eugene Murphy, who was a neighbor of Mr Courtney’s, said he was a very popular member of the community. “There is a terrible sense of grief in the area, especially that this should happen when he was getting ready for Christmas,” said Mr Murphy. Mr Courtney is survived by two sons, his mother and four brothers.
(Source: Irish Times)

Sligo

The ISPCA is urgently seeking homes for 36 collie-type dogs they took from the house of a "dog hoarder" in Sligo. The ISPCA came across the animals after Inspector Kevin Mcginley responded to a call and discovered the frightened animals living in "sub-standard conditions".

Although none were malnourished, many of the dogs had sarcoptic mange, while none were neutered.

"Essentially they had been allowed to breed freely," said Carmel Murray at the ISPCA Head Office in County Longford, where the dogs were taken.